Netflix’s Best New Movie Is A Huge Hit On Rotten Tomatoes

Yes, Paddington Bear has returned—or, rather, he’s gone home. That’s the case with the third entry in the Paddington series, Paddington in Peru, which made its SVOD debut on Netflix today. Everybody’s favorite polite little bear donning a blue coat and red hat was in U.K. theaters back in November 2024, and made his way over to U.S. theaters in February 2025. During that run, Paddington in Peru sported an incredible 93% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 185 reviews—an incredible feat for a modern film. And while Paddington in Peru has been available to rent on Amazon and Apple, the third film in this beloved franchise will now reach millions of new watchers on Netflix.

The latest Paddington movie comes from first-time director Dougal Wilson. Paddington in Peru picks up with the beloved bear (still voiced by Ben Whishaw), who is settling into his comfy London life when he receives some terrible news: the very bear who raised Paddington in Peru, Aunt Lucy (Imelda Staunton), suddenly disappeared from the “Home for Retired Bears.” With the ever-supportive Brown family at Paddinton’s side—a cast of characters that includes Mr. Brown (Hugh Bonneville), Mrs. Brown (Emily Mortimer, taking over from Sally Hawkins), their children Judy (Madeleine Harris) and Jonathan (Samuel Joslin), and the faithful Mrs. Bird (Julie Walters)—Paddington decides to travel across the Atlantic in search of her.

As expected of a Paddington movie, such a journey is anything but quick and simple—and anything free from adversity—as the bear’s jungle-spanning quest is rife with riverboats, lost cities, cryptic maps and ghostly conquistadors. During their trek, Paddington and his adopting family are joined by Hunter Cabot (Antonio Banderas), a swashbuckling explorer with ulterior motives, and the delightfully deranged Reverend Mother (Olivia Colman), who, as any movie critic will tell you, steals just about every scene as the nun in charge of Aunt Lucy’s retirement home.

Believe it or not, Paddington in Peru’s 93% rating is low for the franchise, considering Paddington (2014) scored 96% from 163 reviews and Paddington 2 (2017) earned an all-time great 99% score from a whopping 252 reviews. So, you better believe that critics were more than ready to pounce if the third film in this current-trilogy missed—but clearly it hasn’t.

Dana Stevens at Slate, one of the “top critics” at Rotten Tomatoes, notes that while Paddington in Peru doesn’t quite live up to the sparkling perfection of Paddington 2 (again, that 99% score is crazy), the third film in the franchise continues to retain its predecessors’ “warmhearted and cheekily funny spirit.” According to Stevens, one of the most memorable moments, as many critics seem to note, is the family-friendly musical absurdity involving Colman’s wonderfully outrageous performance of “Let’s Prepare for Paddington”—a song we will probably hear more about come Oscar Season 2026.

Meanwhile over at Rolling Stone, David Fear praises the film for staying true to the series’ gentle, eccentric tone that never fails to be filled with empathy. Though Fear acknowledges Paddington in Peru is “a little less twee” than the first two films, he claims it never falls short being what everyone wants it to be—a “whimsical, warm bear hug of film”—and specifically celebrates Antonio Banderas’s scene-chewing, multiple-character turns as his many ghostly ancestors.

Last but not least, Ross McIndoe at Slant offers a very interesting analysis of the film, praising how well the film balances the new director’s energy with franchise continuity, writing that Paddington in Peru has “never felt more at home in its own furry skin.” McIndoe highlights the continued excellence of the practical effects and Wes Anderson-lite aesthetics, as well as the franchise’s quietly powerful message about Britishness and belonging, calling Paddington “a symbol of a Britain that welcomes, rather than fears, its immigrants.”

To be fair, Paddington in Peru isn’t without its criticisms, with some reviewers calling out the predictable plot, or how certain character arcs, like Mary’s emotional reckoning, aren’t very deeply explored. But those gripes strike me as nothing more than minor quibbles. For the most part, critics seem to resoundingly agree that Paddington in Peru is yet another stellar entry into the Paddington franchise—three movies that all scored in the 90th-percentile is an amazing accomplishment. And now more people can experience this wonderful adventure on Netflix starting May 15, 2025.